New officers from overseas could be pounding the Bermuda beat in as little as eight weeks, it was revealed yesterday.

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox said Police chiefs in the Caribbean and Canada had already been sounded out about releasing up to 45 officers for three-year fixed-term duties in Bermuda.

And she added: "I would have thought probably about a couple of months and we will see something.'' But she said: "We have to make sure there is accommodation and that there is no disruption for existing officers.

"And we've got to make sure we've done the vetting process to make sure we're getting the right fit of officers.'' Ms Cox was speaking after the hard-hitting Core Functions Review of the Island's thin blue line was released last Friday.

And she said many of the concerns raised in the review were already being tackled -- although she stressed: "Rome wasn't built in a day.'' One of the two key recommendations in the report was an urgent need to recruit additional experienced manpower to boost station watches across the Island.

The report identified a reliance on rookie cops as hurting Police ability to patrol the streets.

The review said more than 60 percent of officers assigned to front-line uniform duties had less than three years' experience -- and that there was a serious lack of experienced officers to carry out training roles in the stations.

And it warned an influx of more than 50 new officers from a recruiting drive and the reintroduced Cadet scheme would stretch training capacity to breaking point.

The report said that the service could axe other programmes and units to release on-Island officers, although it admitted this would cause its own problems and many officers would regard a return to station duty as demotion.

But the review added: "Another option is to acquire additional experienced manpower for use in the watches.

"The greatest need for these experienced officers is to provide on-the-job training for current Probationary Constables, most of whom are Bermudian, and newly-recruited Bermudian recruits entering the watches from training.

Bda may get new bobbies by summer "The greatest benefit of this option is that the recruitment and selection programme for these experienced officers could emphasise training skills and a willingness to act as mentors and coaches to Bermudian Police officers.'' Ms Cox said: "What we now have is a plan, where it should be going -- we're starting on the implementation stage and we're starting to see some solutions.

"We're now moving and going with the overseas recruitment.'' Ms Cox said other areas identified for fast action was the use of uniformed officers for guard duties at places like Government House and the Premier's residence, with the possibility of private security or the Bermuda Regiment taking over that role.

The review pointed out that Central Division's strength was slashed by assignment of officers to guard duties.

And Ms Cox added that -- when the new Director of Public Prosecutions was appointed -- plans to get Police out of prosecutions could begin to be implemented, releasing experienced officers from the courts for other duties.

Ms Cox said: "You don't use good resources in terms of Police being tied up.'' And she added of prosecutions: "Lawyers will be taking that role from the Police.'' Ms Cox said: "Generally, I would hope people are feeling better and it doesn't hurt when they see a commitment to a new Police station for Hamilton, for example.'' And she added: "I'm confident that the problems are being tackled -- I can't say with equal confidence that because they're being tackled that everybody will be happy.

"But I'm confident the will is there and an intent to proceed as fast as we can.''